Predictive accuracy of cytokine pattern with lymphocyte count in infections after chemotherapies for lymphoma

AIMS: To evaluate whether cytokine profiles combined with lymphocyte count could predict infection risk in lymphoma patients undergoing chemotherapy. PATIENTS & METHODS: This retrospective study included 110 patients with pathologically confirmed lymphoma treated at Xiangtan Central Hospital between January 2022 and December 2023. Peripheral blood samples were collected before chemotherapy to determine lymphocyte count and serum cytokine levels (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10) using ELISA. Statistical analyses included ROC curve and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to assess predictive accuracy and treatment outcomes. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients (59.1%) developed infections, including bacterial, fungal, and viral types. Infected patients exhibited significantly lower lymphocyte counts and decreased cytokine levels. A combination of ≥3 decreased cytokines with low lymphocyte count provided stronger predictive power for infection than single indicators. CONCLUSION: Reduced cytokine levels together with lymphopenia are strong predictors of infection in lymphoma patients receiving chemotherapy. Immune monitoring of cytokine-lymphocyte patterns may facilitate early identification of high-risk individuals and improve infection prevention and treatment strategies.